Kenyan President William Ruto has appointed four members of the main opposition party to his new cabinet, aiming to create a “broad-based” government in response to nationwide protests. However, this move has been met with accusations of corruption from activists who claim it is a political compromise.
The new cabinet members, including John Mbadi as finance minister, are allies of Raila Odinga, the opposition leader defeated by Ruto in the 2022 presidential election. In his announcement from his official residence, Ruto called the new government a visionary partnership for Kenya’s radical transformation.
Despite Ruto’s efforts, protests continue, with activists accusing the unity government of perpetuating a tradition of co-opting the opposition at the expense of the people. Over 50 people have died in the demonstrations, which forced Ruto to withdraw $2.7 billion in tax hikes. Protesters are now demanding Ruto’s resignation and comprehensive reforms to address corruption.
Prominent activist Boniface Mwangi criticized the appointments on social media, labeling Ruto “Zakayo”—a term for a greedy tax collector—and accusing Odinga of betraying the people by joining a corrupt government. The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), led by Odinga, denied negotiating any coalition or political arrangement with the government and was scheduled to hold a news conference following Ruto’s announcement.
In addition to the four opposition members, Ruto reinstated five former cabinet members he had dismissed earlier this month in response to protest demands. Last week, he announced 11 nominations, including six holdovers from the previous cabinet. The background of one new nominee remains unclear, with Ruto promising more appointments soon.
Ruto also proposed amendments to anti-corruption and public procurement laws and called for the release of any innocent individuals arrested during the protests. Initially peaceful, the protests turned violent as police responded with tear gas and live ammunition, with some demonstrators briefly storming parliament on June 25.
Activists have called for a march on Thursday to present a petition to the president’s office and lay flowers at parliament in memory of those killed. While Ruto initially praised the peaceful and ethnically inclusive nature of the protests, he has recently vowed to stop them, claiming they are causing “mayhem and anarchy.”
Anti-government activists blame the violence and looting on thugs allegedly hired by politicians to discredit the protest movement and advance their own agendas.
